Subject: Announcement of One-Day Military Firing Exercise in Northwest Islands off the Coast of Korea Between December 18-21, 2010

The Canadian Embassy in Seoul is transmitting the following information through the Embassy's Warden System as a public service to all Canadian citizens in the Republic of Korea. Please disseminate this message broadly to Canadian citizens.

This warden message is being issued in response to the announcement on December 16, 2010, by the Government of the Republic of Korea that it will "hold a one-day live-fire drill on Yeonpyeong Island between Dec. 18 and 21. The Embassy does not assess that there has been an increase in the threat environment in South Korea.

Given the increased tensions since the North Korean shelling of Yeonpyeong Island on November 23, 2010, it is understandable that Canadian citizens would be concerned regarding the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. However, the Embassy reminds Canadian citizens in the Republic of Korea that military training exercises are routinely conducted throughout South Korea throughout the year, to include civil defense drills normally held eight (8) times a year. Canadian citizens should stay informed through local media about upcoming military exercises and civil defense drills that sometimes occur at short notice and for which the Embassy will not routinely provide advance notification. The Embassy continues to closely monitor the current situation. Should the security situation change, the Embassy will update this warden message."

It's been put off and put off and put off because of weather and fogginess, but, apparently, they started the exercises today, amidst vows from Pyongyang to retaliate:

And that seems to be about it. None of my co-teachers seem too alarmed, and there's no news of the North attacking.

I'm just copying and pasting this last article, because it makes me giggle... it's from the Korea Times:

"S. Korea begins live-fire artillery drill near NK

South Korea on Monday fired artillery into waters near the western sea border with North Korea, pushing ahead with a high-tension exercise amid Pyongyang's threat to strike back if the drill goes ahead, an official said.

The drill began at around 2:30 p.m., an official at the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

"It won't last long," he said on condition of anonymity."

It's the last little quote that makes me giggle... mostly because I imagine it being said in a state of annoyance.

ON TO mostly LIGHTER NEWS!

Chocolate tree update:

It STILL has not been touched. Maybe they're saving it as a decoration, or, maybe they don't want to eat it because the foreigner who is going away soon made it for them, and they want to keep it as a keepsake? I dunno.

All I know is, this is what $20 worth of chocolate, paper, and tape that everyone is afraid to touch looks like:

My class with the kid who hates me got moved to today. I took their class picture, and I just looked over it.. surprisingly, he is not flipping off the camera in the picture, though, I am pretty sure he punched one of my favorite students in the head right before the picture was taken.

I didn't get ANY sleep last night. I am considering purchasing sleeping pills, because this is getting ridiculous. I was just tossing and turning all night because my brain wouldn't stop thinking about absolutely nothing in particular.

Also, I logged into MSN last night (do not judge meeeeee), and noticed that the evil ex, R, tried adding me back onto messenger. Uhhh... what the ship? I sent him an e-mail asking him why, exactly, he was trying to add me onto messenger again. No response. My bet, he wants to have a way to monitor me, see when I'm online or something.

So, a strange little thing happens in my office a few times a week, where sales people come in and try to get the other teachers in my office to get their credit cards or something. I have no idea. They always seem to be hawking credit cards, though. I just like the reactions I get when they walk over to me. As soon as I look up, they usually jump with surprise, or look stunned, and tell me "mianhamnida" (I'm sorry). The lady today had the BEST REACTION EVER, though! She went to the few people in the office, had no luck, walked over to me, and when I looked up at her, she squeaked, jumped back, and then started giggling ferociously. Fun times. I love when people aren't expecting me to be a wayguk (non-Korean).

I have all of one class tomorrow. It is going to be a loooong day. But! I get to take the last class picture that I need... I will have class pictures of all 19 of my classes! Yay!

Tara, I wanted to introduce myself. Around blog world, I go by the initials, i.b. I happened upon your blog on accident but, as I sifted through your profile, I noticed the words obsessive compulsive and, having been clinically diagnosed as such, I couldn't help but to be interested. If you would like, you can find out a little about me on habitualhobbit.blogspot.com. I pray that this finds you well.